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If successful, Jonathan Strickland of Inglewood would become the youngest person to solo in a helicopter and an airplane on the same day.

"Basically, it's another excuse so I can fly," he told KNX radio shortly before takeoff from Compton Airport this morning.

Jonathan, who will be a freshman at Reseda High School in the fall, is the latest young pilot to take flight as part of Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum's flying program, which enables youths to convert time spent on community service projects into flying time.

Kenny Roy, 15, of Compton, made headlines last year when pilot Robin Petgrave accompanied him on a flight into Canada, where the boy soloed in a Cessna 152 and became the youngest black American to be licensed to fly alone.

Unlike the United States, Canada allows fliers as young as 14 to be licensed. In the United States, the minimum age is 16.

Jonathan, who has been a part of the flying program for three years, and Petgrave, will fly a Robinson R-22 to Vancouver, arriving around noon On Friday.

Once in Vancouver, Jonathan will solo in both the chopper and a Cessna 152 sometime next week.

Jonathan's father told the radio station he was "real happy" that his son got involved with the program.

"With so much negative happening with African American youth right now, he's on his way to something that's extremely lucrative," he said.

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